Fiona Corinne

Rochester, NY

by Mike Hoy

We get about a hundred song submissions a week here at BoomboxFM (sometimes more), in addition to the applications submitted by recruited artists and the recommended musicians that come from our team of curators. When all is said and done, we're reviewing close to two hundred songs a week; this has morphed into the top funnel of my personal music discovery process...a process that is (for myself) incredibly enjoyable, albeit, very time consuming (hey, we do it so you don't have to, right?!).

In all honesty, there are times within the vetting process where songs start to bleed together (that's when it's time for another coffee, or beer, or a coffee flavored beer). It's inevitable. Do anything too much, and the lines start to blur. Though, no matter how strong the "Highway Hypnosis of Music Reviewing" is, shear talent always cuts through.

It was 2:30am and I was four hours deep into a music backlog binge when Just Go by Fiona Corinne slowly crept through my headphones. It was a soft and steady musical alarm clock, whisper-screaming, "wake the fuck up, this is the best song you'll hear all night..." And it was.

Of all things I like about Fiona, her potential is what I jump to most. Her music is beautiful, and her drive and personality lead you to believe there's a lot left to be heard. I got to pick Fiona's brain prior to her BoomboxFM feature, and here's what she had to say:

MH: I bet you were a crazy cool kid...when was the first time you KNEW you were going to be a musician?

FC: Oh boy... I don't think there was ever a time that I thought I would be anything else! I used to ride my family's Wonder Horse (remember those?) and sing Puff The Magic Dragon at the top of my lungs. That could've been the start... I also did my first musical in 3rd grade, and loved being on stage. In school, teachers would ask "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and I would say "A rockstar!" and they would laugh like it was a silly little kid dream... Nope. Still going for it.

MH: Yes! The dream is still alive! Okay, fast forward now, its the day of a show...what is your routine? Do you have any superstitions? What do you eat? What do you drink?

FC: It's not much of a routine, but I drink lots of water (no ice!) and try to relax. I also double check my gear and load everything into my trusty (well, mostly trusty) station wagon well in advance, so I'm not freaking out about forgetting anything right before I play. And of course, I have to blast some music to get pumped up (mostly Kesha, let's be real).

MH: Your pre-show playlist sounds a lot like mine... Shifting gears, what is your proudest moment as an artist? Most regretful?

FC: Being a musician is extremely gratifying, and I love most parts of it, so it's hard to choose my proudest moment. It would probably be hearing the final version of Just Go. It still feels unreal to hear it transfo-rmed from me banging on an out of tune piano to a full song. And most regretful - I've been given a lot of opportunities that I couldn't take because it was beyond my means... Out of town gigs I couldn't get to, chances to record that I couldn't afford, shows I couldn't play just because there's not enough time. I try to take every chance I possibly can, especially for my music, so I hate missing opportunities. That being said, I've gotten to do a lot of cool stuff and I'm really happy with where I've been and where I'm going, so I try not to dwell on the things I've missed.

MH: You like to do loads of videos...what is your favorite song to sing (your own or otherwise)?

FC: I don't think I can choose a favorite. It changes a lot depending on my mood, and the audience. If it's more of a high school or college aged audience, they react the best to pop songs like Shake It Off and Chandelier. I've sung at nursing homes, and gotten requests like This Land Is Your Land. At bars where the crowd is closer to my parents age, I love to belt out Hotel California. Heck, I've played festivals where the hit song of the evening is Let It Go from Frozen. If the audience likes a song, I like playing it. If I HAD to choose just one (which is pretty much impossible) it would probably be What's Up by 4 Non Blondes.

MH: Wonderful choice! I bet our listeners would love the link to that. Let's close up shop...what's the best part about what you do?

FC: Can I say everything? Music is my passion and I pour my heart and soul into the songs that I write. The fact that I get to share that with the world, is INCREDIBLE. It's a lot of hard work and sometimes I get really frustrated, but I get to spend my life singing songs for people. That's awesome.

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